“In many ways, a book is, in itself, a tiny universe. Each page is like a newly formed galaxy, fashioned from a single, pulsing thought.
A book travels for days, for years, sometimes for centuries to meet you at an exact point in time.”
The above quote perfect describes my feelings about this book.
This was my first Lang Leav poetry book, and I was truly not expecting to like this collection so much – mainly because I don’t consider myself to be much of a romantic – but The Universe of Us really surprised me for the better. (And also that cover is absolutely stunning.)
This book covers everything from love and loss, hope and hurt, being lost and found. And I was actually let down when I reached the ending so quickly. I’ll definitely be picking up more of Lang Leav’s books very soon.
But for now, I’ll share a few quotes from my favorite poems in this collection:
I Am
“And I told him, if I am so hard to love, then let me run wild.
My love is not a testament to my surrender. I will show you just how much I love you, with the inward draw of every breath—the collective sigh of the world and all its despair. But I will never give you what you want in chains.”
Today
“My demons are lying in wait, they are grinning in the shadows, their polished fangs glinting, knowing today, it will be an easy kill. But tomorrow, tomorrow could be different, and that is what keeps me going today.”
The Butterfly Effect
“I know you are scared. Who could blame you? Love is a hurricane wrapped inside a chrysalis. And you are a girl walking into the storm.”
Moment of Truth
“The second I tried to tell myself I wasn’t in love was the moment I realized I was.”
Conversations
“Most people want to save the entire world. It’s a lovely thought, and I’m not saying it’s not a noble pursuit—but it’s impossible to save everyone. You just have to pick your little corner of the world and focus your energy there. That’s the only way you will ever make a difference.”
A Lesson
“There is a girl who smiles all the time,
to show the world that she is fine.
A boy who surrounds himself with friends,
wished that his life would end.
For those that say they never knew—
the saddest leave the least of clues.”
Possibility of Love
“Yes, I think it is entirely possible to fall in love with someone you’ve never met. Physicality is an expression of intimacy—not an indication of it.”
Her Time
“She can feel it down to her very core—this is her time. She will not only climb mountains—she will move them too.”
The One
“I don’t want to be the one who tucks you into bed—I want to be the reason why you can’t sleep at night.”
A Whole Universe
“When you lose a person, a whole universe goes along with them.”
Gone
“The sad thing is,” she said, “the moment you start to miss someone, it means they’re already gone.”
Once
“I loved you once and now I must spend my whole life explaining why.”
Salve
“You won’t hear from me again after today, and I don’t want you to worry. I’ll be okay. Because I have to be.”
A Premonition
“But when I look at you, I just know instinctively, that despite the odds against you and although life will always find a way to test you, someday you’ll have everything you want. Your ending will be a happy one.”
Loving you
“Loving you is like being ten years old again, scaling a tree with my eyes bright and skyward, wanting only to get higher and higher, without a thought of how I would get back down.”
Quiet
“I’ve grown quiet now. You won’t hear me talk about you anymore. It doesn’t hurt like it used to. I suppose that is something to be thankful for.”
Your Words
“Remember, your words are your power. Never forget your words.”
I’m so glad to having finally read some of Lang Leav’s writing. I hope it will only go up from here.
I also found that listening to this song really amped-up my reading experience:
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars
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